Evaporated milk.



UNITED STATES Patented February 21, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LUCAS P. BRITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOFREUND MAYER, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

EVAPORATED MILK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 783,015, dated February21, 1905.

Application filed April 22, 1904. Serial No. 204,477.

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Evaporated Milk;and my preferred manner of carrying out the invention is set forth inthe following full, clear, and exact description terminating with claimsparticularly 1o specifying the novelty.

My invention is a new food product in the form of a paste or powderconsisting of the solid constituents of milk substantially unchanged incharacter by heat, all or most of r 5 the water thereof having beenevaporated, and

is characterized by being readily soluble in water at ordinarytemperatures and by the fact that when added to water it forms apermanent solution. The solid or nourishing 2o constituents of the milkhave not been substantially changed in their character by heat, with theexception of increasing the sweetness, which results from breaking upthe sugar,

and therefore when a sufficient proportion of water has been added theresult is a liquid which to all intents and purposes is identical withthe milk from which it was originally made, save that it is decidedlysweeter-a condition highly desirable in many circumstances.

I am aware that milk-powders produced by the evaporation of milk atrelatively high temperatures until only the solid constituents are lefthave been made before this; but as far as 1 have been able to learn noneof these prod- 3 5 nets are entirely soluble in water and all aregreatly changed as to their chemical constituents by the temperature atwhich evaporation is effected. Some of them when finely ground willapparently make a solution; but

if this is undisturbed for a time a sediment will be deposited, showingthat it does not form a true or complete solution. l/Vhen a so-' lutionis formed with my product, it is a true 1 solution, and it may be leftundisturbed in- 4 5 definitely without depositing any sediment.

Asolution of my product in water looks and tastes substantially likefresh milk, except that it is much sweeter. It will sour, and in otherrespects acts like fresh milk, andit may be used in cooking as a fullequivalent of fresh milk.

In the production of my product all of the water may be evaporated untilthe product is a dry solid, or a small proportion of water may be leftin it, thus leaving it a pasty mass. In

the solid or dry state it will keep indelinitely without using anyspecial means or adding anything to prevent its spoiling. It will notreadily absorb moisture from the air and will not become rancid orstrong even when exposed to summer heats and without protection from theair. It has been found that the product has no reaction from either acidor alkali tests, and it is therefore said to be neutral or of neutralreaction, by which is meant that it has no reaction whatever. It hasalso been found that the chemical effect upon the natural constituentsof the milk is such that the product contains a preservative which isbelieved to lie in its own accentuated sweetness. Moreover, as noorganic substance can long remain in milk without developing bacteriaand germs the presence of this preservative, which keeps the product inits pure condition indefinitely, is able also to preserve its purity orkeep it free from contaminating influences, as well as to preserve itssweetness and maintain it in a condition of constant preparedness foruse.

The following is a description of one mode of producing my improvedproduct, the mode at present preferred by me; but it will be understoodthat it may be produced by any other eflicient process. The milk,wh ichmay or may not have had its cream extracted, is placed in a vacuum-panand the pressure therein reduced as much as may conveniently be done byordinary means. During the process of evaporation the milk is maintainedat as low a temperature as practicable, so as to prevent producing thechanges which are caused in milk by heat. I prefer that the temperatureshall not rise above 105 Fahrenheit. lVhile the milk is in thevacuum-pan or immediately before I pass a current of electricity of lowvoltage between separated electrodes through a path in the milk,preferably of two or three volts. This treatment probably breaks up themilk-sugar into two sugars, which have a cidedly sweeter than the milkfrom which it combined sweetness greater or more apparent to the tastethan before. When the milk is reduced to a pasty mass, I remove it fromthe vacuum-pan and expose it to a current of cool dry air, whichcompletes the evaporation. iaiterit is dry I grind it to a line powder,so that it m'afthe more quickly be dissolved in water.

Ihave not here inclaimed the described process of making-my product, asthe same is the subject-matter of an application for patent filed by methis day and bearing Serial No. 20 4:7 8.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A food product consisting of the solidconstituents of milk in an uncooked statecharacterized by having hadnothing added thereto, by being entirely soluble, and by being dewasmade.

2. Afood product consisting of the constituents of milk in an uncookedand powdered state-characterized by having had nothing added thereto andall the water extracted therefrom, by being entirely soluble, and bybeing sweeter than the milk from which it was made.

8. A food product consisting ofthe solid consistuents of blue or skimmedmilk in an uncooked state characterized by having had nothing addedthereto, by being entirely soluble, and by being decidedly sweeter thanthe milk from which it Was made.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature this thelith day of April,

LUCAS P. BRITT. Witnesses:

J EAN WV. DISI-IMAN, J AMES STANLEY.

